It's coming up to the time of year again when Europe's finest descend upon Switzerland for a star studded affair to crown the FIFA World Player of the Year. So whose clammy paws will be clasped around the heralded Ballon d'Or trophy this time around?

Well, nominations have just been released and to be honest it makes for fairly predictable reading, featuring the same dozen or so names you see every year - but the 2013 final three shortlist could end up raising a few eyebrows.

In the last three years no fewer than seven Barcelona players have featured in the top three.  Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to gatecrash an otherwise all-Basque party.

But Barcelona's destruction at the hands of eventual winners Bayern Munich in last season's Champions League - a resounding 7-0 aggregate mauling - should, if there's any justice, ensure a distinctly German feel to the podium come January.

Falmouth Packet:

Arjen Robben reacts badly to last year's award announcement

Because If Robben, Ribery, or any one of the six Bayern players nominated in the 23 man list doesn't feature in the final three then it will be a travesty.

The so-called Spanish domination of European football is at best short-lived and at worst shameless hyperbole.

Barca and Real may have stolen the transfer headlines over the summer with the captures of Neymar and Bale respectively, and indeed the pair boast the four most marketable players in world football when you throw Messi and Ronaldo into the mix.

But their shortcomings in last year's European competition should render any of their players' claims to the much-coveted trophy null and void. 

Both Ronaldo and Messi average around a goal a game which - as any statto worth his salt anywhere will tell you - is simply astonishing.

Pele belted in around 1200 goals is his prolific career, but he probably didn't face the same standard of competition the two best players of this generation do on a weekly basis.

It goes without saying they are a remarkable pair, but this year they have not been the two best players in Europe. That accolade simply has to go to one of the many talents hailing from either Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund.

Personally I think Arjen Robben's almost single-handed annihilation of the Barca back four en-route to a stunning 3-0 win at the Camp Nou last year should see him take the prize.

The script was almost written for the Dutchman having played the role of pantomime villain in the final of 2012, when he missed a crucial penalty against Chelsea.

He returned home to a chorus of discontent from Bayern fans, especially when he donned the orange of his native Holland in a Euro 2012 warm-up game played in the usually serene environs of the Allianz Arena. 

His tale is one of redemption; a mass of contradictions, Robben's questionable temperament and theatrical tendencies stand in stark contrast to his undeniable talent; talent which is finally flourishing in the Bundesliga.

Never far from the limelight and yet somehow always cast in shadow, Arjen Robben could be the man come January.